“And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” –Genesis 6:6 

It’s 1,655 years after Eden, and life on Earth has already gone to hell. The world of man is a place of wanton cruelty and wickedness. Prehistoric monsters and stone-age marauders roam the land. Murder and destruction are the rule of the day. Humankind is a failed experiment. This is life before the Flood. The story of man on the verge of his first apocalypse.

Welcome to the world of the Goddamned.

You’ll soon find out that the world of the Goddamned is not a nice place. It’s a brutal place where the strongest rule, and is the setting for a strangely compelling comic. Jason Aaron and r.m. Guera have delivered an issue that isn’t afraid to show the darker side of history, indeed the depictions of some of the (unnamed in the issue) characters certainly have the potential to offend.

But it’s that edginess that Aaron brings to his re-imagined biblical tale that makes the comic that much stronger.

r.m. Guera and colourist Guilia Brusco are perfectly suited to each other and to this comic as they bring life to the beautifully realized wasteland the the story is set against. The chaotic nature of the artwork returns from last issue, only this time the art felt much easier to follow along with; whether that’s because I knew what to expect, or because the fight scenes told didn’t repeat the same angles as last time, I’m not sure. Either way, though, I’m a huge fan of the artwork.

The Goddamned isn’t going to be for everybody, but for those who do pick it up, you’re in for a treat. Yes, the language is certainly more adult than Thor, but there’s never a feeling of vulgarity to the way in which Aaron uses the words he uses. Indeed, you’ll notice that the more savage creatures you meet in the book tend to employ a simpler use of language than the more civilized characters. Coupled with the contrast between the degenerative appearance of the savages and the more human like appearance of the  others and you’ve got an easy(ish) way to distinguish between the two groups on first glance when all the characters are wearing skins and furs.

Jason Aaron has rightly earned a reputation of being a great writer of comics, pick up The Goddamned and find out why.

Story: Jason Aaron Art: r.m. Guera Colourist: Guilia Brusco
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Image provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review